Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – A Tender Touch Senior Placement

Bringing mobile senior services to the community
By Connie De La Rosa

Many seniors today have difficulty with mobilizing to services they may require due to limited mobility, not feeling well or minor confusion due to early stages of dementia.

Bringing “Mobile Senior Support Services” to the residents of Ventura is the effort of a few businesses who have come together as a “network” in order to provide a free presentation, demonstration or consultation in a service they may need. Businesses involved include estate planning attorney/information and education, marriage, family therapist education and information, exercise coach, hand/arm massage therapist, medi-care representative/education and information, dental hygienist education and information, Alzheimer’s/dementia education and information, County of Ventura veteran representative information and assistance, Skin Care along with many other businesses and new business.

If a senior chooses to use a particular service, businesses will give them a negotiated rate and maintain services in the comfort of their own community. The goal is to provide the information and services available to their communities making it more convenient and comfortable for our aging population. The Mobile Senior Support Service will provide services in a community about three months or longer, depending on the needed education/information and will be rotating to the different Senior communities in Ventura.

Currently, the Mobile Senior Support Services is located at the Lexington Independent and Assisted Living in Ventura. Lexington welcomes the public to attend any of the in-service presentations being offered from October through December 2015. 200-7756 for dates and times on any of the informational services you are seeking.

Paragon Academy Jiu-Jitsu wins big at 2015 World Masters

By Veronica Johnson

Paragon Academy Jiu-Jitsu registered to the 2015 World Masters Jiu-Jitsu championship with over 30 competitors, reaching full capacity more than a month before the deadline.

The World Masters is one of the biggest jiu-jitsu championships in the world and is held on September 25-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring over 2,300 athletes. They battle for the most prestigious medals in their age classes. This year, the World Masters was a non-stop parade of thrills that lasted almost 12 hours. Competitors gave their all on the mat in search of the gold medal, including the biggest jiu-jitsu legends.

Paragon had amazing results as a team, competitors from Santa Barbara, Arizona, Santa Maria, and Ventura winning gold and silver medals. Paragon Academy founder and coach, Ricardo “Franjinha” Miller, won a World Master gold medal in honor of his team. Ricardo continually represents his school at what is the most recognized jiu-jitsu tournament in the world by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.

Local engineer writes book on our water crisis

Mohammed Hasan is the principal engineer and owner of Hasan Consultants, a civil and environmental engineering firm based in Ventura. He holds dual M.S. degrees from the University of Iowa. He’s a licensed professional engineer in California and a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He’s also a leadership fellow of the American Public Works Association and a distinguished life member of the American Water Works Association. He taught water Science at Ventura college.

His new book “Drought Is Not A Four-Letter Word “ expalains that there is a water crisis in California, and with the current drought and the strong possibility of climate change impacting our weather patterns, it’s time to reimagine solutions for solving this crisis. This book offers a brief synopsis of the problem and how humans have contributed greatly to our water shortages. But beyond doomsday thinking, there are technological solutions that can solve the water shortage and help people feel empowered to participate in these solutions. From crisis to action, citizens, engineers, scientists, water managers, planners, policy makers, politicians, everyone can participate by using some of these ideas to solve California’s water shortage problem.

Available at Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com and other retailers.

Pier Under the Stars annual benefit for historic Ventura Pier

stuff pier under the starsBreeze music writer Pam Baumgardner (venturarocks.com), Breeze co-founder Staci Brown and Diane who lives with the Breeze publisher (poor lady) enjoying Pier Under the Stars—the annual benefit for the historic Ventura Pier that was held on Saturday, October 3 under an absolutely beautiful Ventura evening.

Restaurants, cafes, wineries and breweries served their signature dishes and beverages from tented booths along the seaside Promenade while guests enjoyed live music by Caliente while dancing and bidding on silent auction items, all to benefit the city’s 139-year-old pier.

The sell-out event hosted by Pier into the Future–-a non-profit 501 c (3)—“is a much anticipated community gathering of friends that raises funds for our beloved Pier”, said Pier Into the Future Executive Director Jenise Wagar.

Tech Today with Ken May

Ken May

What to look for when buying a computer – Part 1

Buying a computer is no easy task, and with the cost of many of the machines out on the market today, you want to make sure you’re making the right purchase so you don’t blow your money on something that stops meeting your demands within a year. Not all machines are created equal, and unless you’re pretty familiar with computer hardware, you might have a hard time determining just how unequal they are.

This guide should help you get a better understanding of what all the components of the computer will mean for you and make it easier to decide what you want, need, and which elements to prioritize so you get the right computer for you and don’t spend any more money than you must.

  1. Desktop or Laptop?

This is probably one of the simplest choices to make and can have a big impact on the overall cost of your computer, including expenses that might not come right at the time of the purchase. In general, if a laptop and desktop are boasting all of the same performance specs, the desktop will be cheaper. It might not make sense, since it’s a bigger piece of hardware, but the ability to cram a lot of components into a small space and the need for a battery is what ups the price of the laptop — notice the premium paid for Apple’s thinner devices.

If you often need your computer on the go, the choice is simple: laptop. If it’s only occasional and you don’t need much more than a browser or word processor, you may be able to find a cheap tablet or netbook to do the job, and could potentially afford it with the money you save by getting a desktop as your primary computer. Many people mistake their need for a word processor and internet accessibility with a need for the fanciest computer on the market, which is frankly misguided. Instead of unnecessarily spending the big bucks on a fancy computer, it may be wise to invest in something like a word processor scanner from somewhere like FilecenterDMS, which can help you scan your files and recognize your text in the simplest way possible.

  1. Know the processor and what it means

The simplest way to explain the processor is that it’s the brain of the machine. If you want a fast computer that boots up programs in a flash, completes tasks as soon as you start them, and doesn’t keep you waiting, then you want the strongest processor available — and who doesn’t? You just have to know what you’re looking at when you see a processor’s details.

The short and simple of processors is in the number of cores and the speed (labeled in GHz or Gigahertz) of the processor. The speed of the chip will tell you how much data it can process in how much time, so the bigger the number, the better. The number of cores functions as a multiplier, as the processor is actually a stack of cores that each run at the listed speed (e.g. a single-core 2GHz processor is a lot slower than a four-core 2GHz processor). Multiple cores can also help with multi-tasking, as each can be working on different tasks.

Make sure to ask how many cores are on the chip and what the clock speed is. Two computers might both say they have an Intel i5 chip, but the number of models that go into the group are many and their speeds and core counts can be leagues apart.

Tune in next issue for Part 2!

Grand Jury Speakers Bureau

The County of Ventura Grand Jury is an all-volunteer group serving as an independent agent of the public to investigate complaints from the public pertaining to government agencies in our community.    Is your organization interested in hearing about these investigative duties and procedures?  The Grand Jury Speakers Bureau is available to educate the public in its endeavors as the “public watchdog” for Ventura County. To learn more or schedule a date for a presentation, please call the Grand Jury at 477-1800.  For additional information, you may also refer to its website, http://www.ventura.org/grand-jury

CATCH project receives second year funding

The Ventura County Health Care Agency’s Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Access to Community Health (CATCH) project has been awarded a second year of funding through the Health Care Innovations Award (HCIA) program in the amount of $1.3 million from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). The total grant award is $4.1 million dollars over three years.  Ventura County is honored to be one of only 39 organizations nationally to receive this prestigious award.

COPD is an umbrella term that includes chronic lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma.  The CATCH program has implemented new, evidence-based guidelines throughout the County for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COPD because it is the third leading cause of death in the nation and the fourth leading cause of death in Ventura County.  There are more than 28,000 people that suffer from COPD in Ventura County and many are unaware that they have it.  A simple test called a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) can be performed to determine if someone has COPD.  Identifying and treating COPD in its early stages can drastically change/slow the progression of the disease.

“CATCH is also reforming the way in which we pay for the treatment of COPD, reducing costs by an estimated 22% over all. During the first year of the project, CATCH has been able to reduce Emergency Room visits by 18% and the number of critical vaccinations for COPD patients has increased by 25%.  CATCH is improving the quality of life for COPD patients while reducing the costs of treatment,” says Dr. Renee Higgins, CATCH Principal Investigator.

The CATCH team of specialists, led by Susan White Wood, CATCH Program Director, can travel county-wide to provide services. The team includes a Project Director, two Registered Nurses, two Respiratory Therapists, two Community Health Outreach Workers, a Medical Office Assistant and contracts with numerous specialists throughout the community.  CATCH can be reached at  677-5162 or [email protected].

Health Insurance Counseling And Advocacy Program

The County of Ventura Area Agency on Aging’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) will be giving a series of Medicare One Stops in November and December for Medicare Plan year 2016.  Medicare beneficiaries may attend any One Stop Shop for any of their Medicare needs during this time.  To streamline your wait time call our office for a Part D Worksheet comparison list.  Our counselors will compare your comparison ahead of your appointment time.

During the One Stop Shops HICAP is screening and completing Public Benefit Applications through their Benefit Enrollment Check Up program. Counselors will be looking to see if one qualifies for Medi-Cal, Cal Fresh, Extra Help with Medicare Part D Prescriptions, LIHEAP, and other programs.

Monday, November 2, 2015, Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, 646 County Square Dr. Suite 100, Ventura, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, one on one counseling appointments, walk-ins and Spanish-Speaking counselors are available.

Vol. 9, No. 1 – October 14 – October 27, 2015 – Ventura Film Society Season 7

Please join the Ventura Film Society at 7:15pm on Wednesday November 11th at the Century 10 Downtown Ventura for “Advanced Style”. This 2014 documentary examines the lives of seven unique New York women, aged 62 to 95, whose eclectic personal style and vital spirit have guided and inspired their approach to aging. Based on Ari Seth Cohen’s famed blog of the same name, this film paints intimate and colorful portraits of independent, stylish women who are challenging conventional ideas about beauty, aging, and Western’s culture’s increasing obsession with youth. A loving, candid and self-searing look at women who refuse to dress or act their age. The VFS is proud to present “Advanced Style” as the 11th of 12 films in our 2015 season. Tickets are $10 general, $7 seniors & $5 students and are available at the VFS Will Call table outside the theatre or in advance from www.venturafilmsociety.com. Visit our website for additional screening information and to see the film’s trailer, or call the VFS Info Line at 628-2299. Special thanks to all of our donors, volunteers, and patrons, especially the Ventura Breeze, for supporting the Ventura Film Society, where we bring people together in the dark.

Robotic Surgery to Treat Endometriosis focus of seminar

The role of da Vinci robotic surgery to treat endometriosis – a disease in which the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it – will be the focus of a free seminar Community Memorial Health System is holding on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Edwin Ramirez, M.D., who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology, will cover the treatment options available for women facing endometriosis, including laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery, at the seminar that will run from 6 to 8 p.m. in the eighth-floor Nichols Auditorium at Community Memorial Hospital, 147 N. Brent St.

Dr. Ramirez will discuss how robotic-assisted surgery can lead to fewer complications; less blood loss and pain; less infection risk and scarring; shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery; and better outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Registration is free but reservations are required. Visit cmhshealth.org/rsvp or call Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800/838-3006.

Future scheduled Speaker Series events include: the Latest in Food Allergies on Nov. 5 at the Courtyard by Marriott Oxnard; Ethics in Healthcare: Should Your Doctor Be Your Friend? on Nov. 12 at the Museum of Ventura County; TEDMED 2015 on Nov. 19 at the Museum of Ventura County; and Celiac Disease on Dec. 1 at Community Memorial Hospital.